Sardine-turning apparatus



F. HEATH.

SARDINE TURNING APPARATUS. APPLICATION map FEB. 2. I922.

1,430,01 1w Pa ente s pt- 26, 1922.

2 3 F 1 id Z 2 o 16 I 16 H 9 INVENTOR. Fewvz f/EATH.

A TTORNEY e To all whom it may concern:

ll atented Sept. 26, 1922.

insure stares 1,430,011 ear-Eur oFF cs.

FRANK HEATH, OF NATIONALMCITY, CALIFORNIA.

SARDINE-TURNING APPARATUS.

Application filed February 2, 1922. Serial No. 533,573.

sardines from a tank or other receptacle and turn them into chutes sothat they all move head foremost; second, to provide such an apparatusin combination with a means'for turning said sardines on their backs;third, to provide an apparatus of this class which receives the mass ofsardines moving in difierent directions and turns them all in onedirection; fourth, to provide an apparatus of this class which tends tohold and move the sardines in their course head foremost ,andfifth, toprovide an apparatus of this class which is very simple and economicalof construction, durable, easy to install, which is automatic andpositive in its action and which will not readily deteriorate or get outof order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter my.invention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafterdescribed in detail andparticularly set forth in the appended claimsreference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the charactersof reference thereon which form slightly modified form of my apparatus.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts andportionsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

The conveyer 1, drum 2, shaft brackets 3, pulley 4-, chutes 5 and G,sliding members 7, brushes 8, guide members 9, guide supports 10, tiebars 111, connecting bars 12,

crank shaft 13, shaft brackets 14, pulley 15,

chutes 16 and 17 and guard 18 constitute the'principal parts andportions of my structure, I

The belt conveyor 1 is mounted on afdrum 2 which is fixed tothe shaft 2.conveyor is provided with cleats 1 adapted to receive the sardines fromatank'or holy per, not shown on the drawings, and carry the same oversaid conveyors onto the chutes 5 and 6. p in the shaft bracket 3 and isdriven by the pulley 4. These chutes 5 and 6 are-positioned in rows instaggered spaced relation as shown and the extended ends of said chutes5 and 6 communicate with brushes 8 secured to two sets of slidingmembers 7 above and below. Said brushes are preferably made ofmetallicblades or, other material of suitable stilfness andv secured in block 8perpendicular with'the direction of I motion of said sliding ,members.Said brushes are inclined at an angle to the vertical plane and placedin pairsopposite each other on the sliding 'members 7. Said brushes areso placedas to form a V-shaped recess or pocket adapted to receive thefish 'or sardines from the chutes 5 and 6 respectively. a gethertransversely by' the cross pieces 9.

and are supported at their ends by the su The guide members'9 are tiedtoport 10, one ofsaid supports also serving as a guide for the slidingmembers The brushes 8 are further mountedin pairs superimposed instaggered relation with each other, said upper brushes adapted toreceive the sardines or 'fish from the upper chute 5 andthe-lowerbrushes adapted to receive the sardines or fish from the lowerchute 6 intermediate the said upper chutes. The slide members carryingthe brushes above and below areconnected on either side'by the tie bars11 respectively; Saidtie bars areprovided with bossesll adapted to.receive connecting rods 12 which are'pivotally mounted therein. Theother ends of said connecting rods are revolubly mounted on the crankshaft 13 which is also revolubly mounted on the shaftsupports 14. Saidcrank shaft is driven bythe pulley 15 secured to said shaft.

.It is obvious that by this means of opera tion there is in'iparted'reciprocating motion to the slide members alternately with each ,other;that directly below'and extending beyond either end of said pairs ofbrushes there are provided downwardly extending,

Said belt Said shaft 2 isrevolubly mounted gradually deepening, curvedbottom chutes for receiving the sardines as they fall from the brusheshead foremost, tending to keep the sardines with their heads in thatcourse and further to turn the sardines on their backs; that the centerof gravity of a sardine is near its back so it naturally follows thatthe sardine Will assume a position with the center of gravity at itslowest point if allowed to turn freely.

It is further obvious that as the sardines are brought from the storagetank or hopper over the conveyerthey drop onto either the upper or lowerchutes 5 and 6 respectively andthen onto the upper and lower brushes,since said brushes are reciprocably mounted alternately with each otherand provided wi h comparatively sharp edges thereon and since thesardines are provided with scales the blades of said brushes will engagethe scales when moving forwardly on the sar dine tending to move thesardines between the brushes head foremost into the-chutes below.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings I have shown a modification of my apparatuswith a chute 5 comparatively shorter and the chute 6 eliminated orreversed forming the guard 18 to deflect the sardines as they fall fromthe conveyor onto the brushes which are oil set and slightly below, theupper brushes. The slide and guide members, the operating mechanism, andthe chutes 16 and-17 are similar to those described above.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combinationand arrangement of parts and portions and a certain modification thereofI do not Wish to be limited to this particular construction, combinationand arrangement nor to the modification but desire to include in thescope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangementsubstantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent is:

1. An apparatus of the class described, including brushes placedopposite each other adapted to receive 'fish between said brushes andmounted to reciprocate alternately with each other, and means forreciprocating said brushes.

2. An apparatus of the class described, including oppositely mountedhorizontal brushes vertically inclined toward and reciprocatingalternately with each other,

'means on said brushes adapted to alternately engage the outer edges ofthe scales offish moving the same headforemost 1n the direction of theengaging brushes to- 'ward the ends of said brushes.

.to reciprocate alternately with respect to each other, a plurality ofbrushes secured opposite and in spaced relation with each other to eachof said members, each pair of oppositely disposed brushes inclined witheach other adapted to receive fish there between, adapted to alternatelyengage the outer edges of the scales of the fish moving the sameheadforemost in the direction of the engaging brushes toward the end ofthe latter.

'5. 'An apparatus of the class described,

including parallel slide members, means for slide members alterother, aplurality of reciprocating said nately with each brushes securedopposite and in spaced relation with each other to each of said members,each-pair of oppositely disposed brushes inclined with each otheradapted to receive'fish there between, adapted to alternately engage theouter edges of the scales of the fish moving the same headforen'iost inthe direction of the engaging brushes toward the end of the latter, anda conveyer adapted to discharge fish from a supply means on to saidbrushes.

(3. An apparatus of the class described, including parallel slidemembers, means for reciprocating said slide members alternately witheach other, a plurality of brushes secured opposite and in spacedrelation with each other to each of said members, each pair ofoppositely disposed brushes inclined with each other adapted to receivefish there between, means on said brushes adapted to alternately engagethe outer edges of the scales of the fish, moving the same headforemostin the direction of the engaging brushes toward the end of the latter, aconveyor adapted to discharge lish'i'roi'n a supply means on to saidbrushes and downwardly extending, gradually deepening curved bottomchutes directly below and extending in width beyond either end of saidpairs of oppositely disposed brushes.

7. An zupparatus of the class described, including parallel slidemembers, means for reciprocating said members alternately with eachother, a plurality of brushes secured opposite and in spaced relationwith each other to each of said members, each pair of oppositelydisposed brushes inclined with each other adapted to receive fish therebetween, means on said brushes adapted to gradually deepening curvedbottom chutes directly below and extending in Width be- 10' yond eitherend of said pairs of oppositely disposed brushes.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego,California this 27 day of January 1922.

FRANK HEATH.

